Overview The class will begin with a homework check of the previous night’s natural selection worksheet. Students will be informed about an upcoming quiz. We will transition into an opening discussion attempting to answer the question of “Are we evolving right here, right now? Why? Why not?” Students’ answers will be recorded on the board. Next we will transition into a cooperative learning style strategy of “Circle the Sage” and learn about the mechanisms that do indeed drive evolution in populations. (This will either confirm or deny the students’ preconceived notions about what it means to evolve). To close the lesson I will ask for an Exit slip. Students will write one new concept that they learned that day and one concept that may still be confusing to them. Objectives Students will be able to: - Discuss their thoughts on what it means to evolve - Work together in groups to learn about the mechanisms that drive evolution - Explain those mechanisms to each other - Analyze their own progress and think about what concepts they may not understand
Opening: The class will begin with a homework check of the previous night’s natural selection worksheet. The worksheet will be collected and graded for homework. The students will be told that they have a quiz 2 days later on the unit so far (Darwin, fitness, natural selection).
Body: Now we will transition into an open discussion about what it means to evolve. “Are we evolving right here, right now? Why? Why not?” Students will discuss what they think. We will then transition into a “Circle the Sage” cooperative learning group. Each group will be given a mechanism of evolution to learn about. (Mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, or natural selection). Each group will read and take notes in their science binder about their mechanism. Once this is complete the entire group except for one member will rotate around the room. The one group member that stays is the “sage” or expert on that mechanism and tells the students rotating around the room about it. By having the students rotate they then learn about all the different types. Eventually the entire class would have learned about the 4 mechanisms of evolution and taken notes in their science binder about them.
Closing: At this point the students will return to their individual seats and fill out an Exit slip. On this slip they will write one new concept that they learned from the lesson, one concept that may still be confusing, and how they liked the format of the “Circle the Sage activity”.
Overview
The class will begin with a homework check of the previous night’s natural selection worksheet. Students will be informed about an upcoming quiz. We will transition into an opening discussion attempting to answer the question of “Are we evolving right here, right now? Why? Why not?” Students’ answers will be recorded on the board. Next we will transition into a cooperative learning style strategy of “Circle the Sage” and learn about the mechanisms that do indeed drive evolution in populations. (This will either confirm or deny the students’ preconceived notions about what it means to evolve). To close the lesson I will ask for an Exit slip. Students will write one new concept that they learned that day and one concept that may still be confusing to them.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Discuss their thoughts on what it means to evolve
- Work together in groups to learn about the mechanisms that drive evolution
- Explain those mechanisms to each other
- Analyze their own progress and think about what concepts they may not understand
Opening:
The class will begin with a homework check of the previous night’s natural selection worksheet. The worksheet will be collected and graded for homework. The students will be told that they have a quiz 2 days later on the unit so far (Darwin, fitness, natural selection).
Body:
Now we will transition into an open discussion about what it means to evolve. “Are we evolving right here, right now? Why? Why not?” Students will discuss what they think. We will then transition into a “Circle the Sage” cooperative learning group. Each group will be given a mechanism of evolution to learn about. (Mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, or natural selection). Each group will read and take notes in their science binder about their mechanism. Once this is complete the entire group except for one member will rotate around the room. The one group member that stays is the “sage” or expert on that mechanism and tells the students rotating around the room about it. By having the students rotate they then learn about all the different types. Eventually the entire class would have learned about the 4 mechanisms of evolution and taken notes in their science binder about them.
Closing:
At this point the students will return to their individual seats and fill out an Exit slip. On this slip they will write one new concept that they learned from the lesson, one concept that may still be confusing, and how they liked the format of the “Circle the Sage activity”.
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